Nightly (and Morningly) Rituals

{I wish my bedtime habits were as spontaneous as Holly Golightly's seem to be}

As I get older and increasingly more settled into a daily routine, my life becomes that much more ritualistic. I'm not entirely sure if this is a mild case of OCD a case of self-discipline, but unless I've had a night of heavy drinking, or don't have work the next day, I end my nights relatively the same way each night, and start my mornings relatively the same as well.

Each night... I wash my face and brush my teeth before bed. Normal, right? Not necessarily - it has to be done in a precise order or I feel... off. I must wash my face, then brush my teeth with my Sonicare, floss, rinse, and then apply my nightly moisturizer and chapstick.

Each morning... I chug 3 glasses of water before getting out of bed, make my bed, and head for the shower.

I even have a sleeping ritual... the window is open to let a cool breeze in, but the fan is on to drown out the noise in the alley. I also have to at least fall asleep with an eyemask even though I rip it off in my sleep each night.

I realize that one day I will have to change this to accommodate another person (unless I plan to be married "I Love Lucy" style in twin size beds), but for now I feel as though the structure is "healthy," and if not healthy, at least it works for me.

Are you a spontaneous sleeper, or do you have a more rigid bedtime schedule?

{Good morning, sunshine}

Let's Talk Oral Hygiene...

{What's your nightly oral hygiene routine?}

I go to the dentist about every 5 months for a cleaning (which in my opinion is definitely more than others who narrow it down to every 9 months or even every few years!). I don't usually get cavities, but I am constantly being yelled at for not flossing!

I hate flossing. I bought a Sonicare toothbrush because I read that it if you brush with a Sonicare you don't need to floss (not just for the bright white smile that comes with it).

However - did you know that bacteria starts to build up after only 24 hours? If you floss daily, you don't need to worry about the bacteria that makes gums sensitive and leads to gum disease and even tooth loss. Time to pick up the flossing... daily.

How often do you floss? What's your daily tooth-brushing routine? I definitely would love to know. Visiting my dentist today really doesn't help my OOCD (oral obsessive compulsive disorder).

America's Oral Fixation

{Ross, I can see your teeth}

Number 1: Get your head out of the gutter.

If you're a child of the 90s, you remember that famous episode of Friends where Ross Gellar bleaches his teeth so white that they become glow in the dark. Today, when I was shopping for toothpaste, this episode of Friends came to mind and got me thinking...